Australians stranded at Machu Picchu amid political unrest in Peru
Australians have been stranded in Peru as violent protests erupted near the popular Incan ruins of Machu Picchu.
More than 170 Australians have contacted the embassy in Lima, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
“Many of those are in city of Cusco and Machu Picchu, where transport options are limited,” a statement from the department said.
It was not aware of any Australians injured or detained in the unrest.
A travel warning on the Smartraveller website advises Australians to reconsider travelling to parts of the South American country because of “violent protests and demonstrations”.
It urged those in the area to be aware of local curfews, avoid protest and monitor local media.
A blocked highway during protests in Trujillo, Peru, this week.Credit:Bloomberg
“A nationwide State of Emergency and local curfews have been imposed due to the civil unrest and protests. Cusco, Arequipa and Puno airports are temporarily closed, and roadblocks are widespread, limiting transport options,” the warning reads.
Sydney woman MacKenzie Reynolds told Nine News she was unsure how to get out of the region.
“The railways have been destroyed by protests, they’ve stolen parts of it, they’ve blocked parts with boulders,” she said.
“There’s actually no roads that come in and out of this town.”
Australian traveller MacKenzie Reynolds is stranded near Machu Picchu because of civil unrest. Credit:Nine News
Australian Janelle Nicholson said she had been volunteering with a non-profit in the area and completed the famous trek to the Incan ruin with her blind husband.
They were waiting for an evacuation flight out of the area, but elderly people were prioritised.
“There’s no hospital here so [the elderly] get priority over us, and I understand that, it is what it is at the moment,” she said.
The unrest comes after former President Pedro Castillo was impeached and arrested this month after announcing a plan to dissolve congress.
The violence sparked by his arrest prompted warnings about travelling to the country.
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